Koh Rong Island, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia

When you think of Cambodia, you probably think of Angkor Wat and its ruined temples surrounded by dense jungle or perhaps the darker days of the tragic cambodian genocide by Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot.

You probably don’t think of beaches, but Cambodia is home to some of the beautifulest and most unspoiled beaches in Southeast Asia. If you are bored of temples and ready for some sun and relaxing, consider a visit to Koh Rong, Cambodia’s beach paradise located in Koh Kong Province about 25 kilometers off the Sihanoukville’s coast (2 hours by regular boat, 40 minutes by speedboat).

Koh Rong is a lightly developed an mostly deserted island. The island is part of the Koh Rong archipelago, a string of islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the second largest island of Cambodia. It has an area of approximately 78 km2 with 43 km of beaches and currently four small villages

Koh Tuich Village in the south, Prek Sway and Daum Skeuw in the northeast and Soksan Village in the northwest. There are app. 1000 inhabitants, mostly fishermen, fishing support services, and their families, and of course, restaurant, dive shop and guesthouse employees.

Koh Tuich (Tuit) Village and Koh Tuich Beach, also called Pinetree Beach, is located on the south of Koh Rong Island. Most of the boats and ferries from Sihanoukville arrive here. At Koh Tuich Village and its beautiful white beach an increasing number of accommodation and restaurants has been built. There are also some small shops in Koh Tuich village. Dive centers and other operators offer diving trips and boat tours around the archipelago.

Soksan Village and Sok San Beach, the gorgeous 7 km long strech of fine white sand to its south is located on the southwest of Koh Rong Island. Behind the beautiful long Sok San Beach green jungle reaches up into the hills. Long Beach can be best reached either by boat as well as on foot from Koh Tuich Village which is an approximate 1 hour trek through the jungle.

Prek Sway Village and its surrounding beaches is located in the northeast of the island. It is the nearest village that can be reached from Song Saa Private Island.

Most of the island is unexplored, and covered by dense jungle. There are several smaller islands surrounding Koh Rong, which you can explore for days or you can visit them in a quick boat trip. Koh Rong Island is a great place to relax. All the bungalows on the island are right near or on the beach. You can go snorkeling, fishing, swimming and boating from right outside your door.

The majority of accommodation can be found on the southeast of the island.

With 23 white sand beaches to choose from Koh Rong has plenty to see and do. Scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, exploring, chilling, eating and drinking, and fishing covers most of the activities available on the island. For the adventurous there’s plenty of trekking to be done through the relatively untouched jungle. Diving and snorkelling is excellent both off the beach and at sites nearby. But above all the best attraction is the phosphorescent water which sparkles when disturbed like twinkling stars. Best seen in around 1 meter of water and on a dark part of the beach. Because Koh Rong has minimal development and light pollution the conditions are perfect for the phosphorescent plankton and it can be seen every single night.

Koh Rong is one of the last true island paradise with pristine white beaches and turquoise water. For years the island was almost completely undeveloped save for a diving outfit and only a few bungalows from cambodians on the island.
Now there is a lot of to explore – but still its a true paradise!